Choosing right materials for your Home is a challenging task while planning your new Home. Modern technologies has given us various choices when it comes to choosing materials for your windows, Door frame etc. Away from traditional wooden window frames, modern interiors are looking new advanced materials that have better look and finish. Choosing from numerous available options depend on your pocket size, Availability and requirements.
As an Engineer, Here I am providing an insight for selection of material while choosing a right one for your window frames.
1. Wood
Wood is traditional and most popular material when it comes to home designing materials. Natural availability of wood makes it a common choice for Home designing. It provide good look and finish and also cost effective due to varieties of wood available in market. Wood has its own disadvantages as it requires a lot of care to prevent its shine, and termite attack.
Advantages:
- Natural Occurrence: Wood is available naturally in environment. Due to its abundance in some geographical locations it is cost effective to use. Due to natural texture it is also visually appealing to eyes.
- Good Insulation: Wood is a natural Insulator, providing thermal performance and energy efficiency.
- Customization: Wood can be customized according to your requirements and shape. You can play with frame styles and shape as it is easy to install with any shape & style.
Disadvantages:
- Termite attack: Wood is prone to termite attack. Selecting good variety of wood is important for timeless use.
- Moisture tolerance: Wood is susceptible to moisture and it tends bend and Warp during monsoon season, making them difficult to fit properly in their fasteners.
- Maintenance: Wood requires proper maintenance to maintain texture and shine.
2. Aluminum
Aluminum has good strength to weight ratio making it a popular product when it comes to Home design. They can have very slim profiles giving more glass area to maximizes view. Aluminum is widely used in commercial purposes due to its benefits.
Advantages:
- Strength: Aluminum has its engineering benefits making them strong, Lightweight and Ideal for large windows.
- Easy to Install: They doesn’t requires any damage to wall while installing into window frame. They can be easily installed after plaster and finishes.
- Slim Profile: Aluminum is available in slim profiles and offer options to install 2 track or 3 track for sliding windows.
Disadvantages:
- Appearance: Aluminum has neutral appearance, So they are not suitable for partially glazed windows.
- Thermal performance: Without thermal breaks, aluminum frame can be less energy efficient.
3.Steel
Steel frames are strong and durable commonly used in Industrial purposes. Steel comes with its disadvantages and are not considered good for modern Home design purpose but due to its incredible strength they found applications in outer frames to safeguard against theft.
Advantages:
- Safety: Steel frames are strong and can not trespassed easily making them suitable to safeguard against theft.
- Durability: Steel can be long lasting if maintained properly.
Disadvantages:
- Prone to rusting: Steel frames are prone to rust while moisture attack.
- Heavy: Steel feels heavy while used as window shutter. Sometimes it is difficult to move window shutters due to heavy weight and rusting.
4. UPVC (Unplasticized Polyvinyle Chloride)
UPVC windows are modern choice for interior designer due to its look and feel. UPVC has many advantages that makes it suitable for use as window frames. They also offer maximum glass area to get a wider view. These windows requires very low maintenance.
Advantages:
- Energy Efficient: UPVC provides good insulation properties and can enhance energy efficiency of your home.
- Low Maintenance: UPVC windows requires minimal maintenance
- Appearance: UPVC windows comes in customized color options, Power coated UPVC frames offers enhanced look and feel.
Disadvantages:
- Affordability: UPVC windows are costly, they may not fit to everyone’s pocket size.
- Availability: UPVC windows are widely used in modern designs, but may not be available to distant geographic locations as they need modern factories for production.
5. Fibrex:
Fibrex is also modern material formed by blending 40 percent wood fiber with 60 percent thermoplastic fibers. This material also has many engineering advantages, that makes it suitable for modern home design purpose.
Advantages:
- Higher Insulation: Fibrex windows offers 700 times more insulation than aluminum windows
- Longevity : Fiberx windows are assumed to offer life span of more than 35 years.
- Sustainability: Fibrex is made from 40% reclaimed material that makes it eco friendly and sustainable materials.
Disadvantage:
- Costly: These windows are 3 times more costlier than Aluminum windows.
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